Former inmates wash cars to thank law enforcement

About 40 former inmates braved the heat, sacrificing their Sunday, to give a small form of recognition to law enforcement, by washing their cars.

Author:
Janelle Bludau , WFAA

Published:
10:15 PM EDT July 31, 2017

It’s begins with a pure intention.

“I want to just be able to put Christ on display," said Torrance Wilson, a former inmate & member of C.H.A.R.M. Prison Ministry.

Add a little soap, water and some elbow grease, then you’re left behind with a clean heart.

“We’ve always made things dirty in life whether with family, with relationships, because we were outside of Christ, as a sign of being clean and washed and made new," said Tommie Anderson, a former inmate & member of C.H.A.R.M. Prison Ministry. "That’s what we’re doing on display today is actually cleaning up what’s dirty."

Each of them spent several years behind bars and now choose to live life on the outside, embracing the law instead of evading it.

“I knew it wasn’t their fault.They had a job to do. They had a family like I had and so the Lord just really softened my heart towards law enforcement, and that they put their lives on the line each and every day for us," Wilson said.

About 40 former inmates braved the heat and sacrificed their Sunday to give a small form of recognition to law enforcement by washing their cars.

“It’s a service they wanted to provide to us," said Houston Police Captain Michael Faulhaber.

Faulhaber says it’s touching to see their transformations.

“It means a heck of a lot more than any commendation that I've every received," said Faulhaber.

It’s a small token of appreciation. But to these former offenders, it means much more.

“Had it not been for the police officers arresting us, a lot of us wouldn’t probably be here today. We would probably be in the graveyard or in prison for the rest of our lives, who knows. So, thank you for your service," Anderson said.

The ministry that helped organize the event is called C.H.A.R.M., their goal is to transform the lives of men and women who have been incarcerated.